34 of the most important Star Wars heroes, ranked from worst to best

There are a lot of heroes in the Star Wars universe – almost too many to keep track of.

Some of them are among the most memorable characters in all of fiction, and some are memorable for being the absolute worse. (Meesa think probably you know exactly who we are talking about. How rude!)

Some of the best characters fighting for the good side of the Force throughout the films have been in our lives for decades, like R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker. And some, like BB-8 or Rey, haven’t been in the universe for long, but their impact is already powerful.

We ranked 34 of the most notable and memorable heroes in the Star Wars universe, from General Leia to Jar Jar Binks.

Here’s the Star Wars heroes, ranked from worst to best:

34. Jar Jar Binks

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Lucasfilm

Do I even have to explain this? Jar Jar Binks, who voted to give Palpatine emergency powers while he was subbing for Padmé’s role as senator, is honestly a villain.

33. Padmé Amidala

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Lucasfilm

It’s unfortunate that Padmé was so poorly written. On paper, she’s just as exciting as other female characters in the Star Wars universe like Leia and Rey: she’s a leader who will do anything to fight for her people and the Republic. But her dialogue and characteristics were so bad that she isn’t memorable. She doesn’t need Anakin, and would be a part of the story despite their romantic relationship, but like most characters in the prequels, she just doesn’t have any personality beyond what her job is. She was also dumb enough to select, of all beings, Jar Jar Binks to replace her in the senate.

32. Rose Tico

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Disney

There’s isn’t anything wrong with Rose, but her presence felt a little like a last-minute add-on. We do like her, but still don’t feel like we know her well, beyond the fact that her sister died to save the Rebel Alliance. Hopefully we’ll get to know her better in the next episode.

31. Mace Windu

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Lucasfilm

Mace Windu isn’t bad, but since his presence is in the prequels, most of his scenes come off as more comical than they were intended. Samuel L. Jackson is basically just playing himself here, and we don’t mind at all: he’s one of the few actors who brought some personality to the prequels.

30. Qui-Gon Jinn

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Lucasfilm

Unlike Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn represents a boring version of a Jedi Master. Liam Neeson gives him some spunk, but not much given the material he had to work with. Jinn might’ve worked if his entire personality hadn’t been a total rip-off of Kenobi’s in “A New Hope.”

29. Wicket

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Lucasfilm

Wicket’s instincts and ambition led to the destruction of the Empire. He’s obviously not solely responsible, but his bond with Leia helped inspire the Ewoks to join the rebellion and fight on the behalf of Endor.

28. Saw Gerrera

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Disney

Gerrera is a rebel in his own way: he was fighting the Empire, but wasn’t affiliated with the Rebel Alliance, which was something Star Wars fans hadn’t really seen before “Rogue One.” What brings him down on the list is that we barely got to know him. He was gone minutes after his first appearance.

27. Maz Kanata

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Lucasfilm

Maz, voiced and performed via motion capture by Oscar winner Lupita N’yongo, is still a mystery. She’s a 1,000-year-old former pirate and smuggler with vast knowledge of the Jedi Order and the Force. Part of what makes her so intriguing is that we know so little about her.

26. Bodhi Rook

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Lucasfilm

Bodhi Rook has a pretty similar story to Finn. He was an imperial pilot turned rebel, who used his intelligence from his life as an imperial pilot to help the Resistance. Given his background, he’s a bit shy and nervous, but eventually builds up the courage he needs to help the Rogue One team complete its mission.

25. Baze Malbus

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Lucasfilm

Baze was incredibly skilled in long-range combat, one of the many reasons he joined the Rogue One mission. His backstory was fun to follow, because his pragmatic ways were largely influenced by the Empire, which led him to distrust his belief in the Force. He ultimately regained his confidence in the Force after seeing it work on Scarif.

24. Chirrut Îmwe

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Lucasfilm

We can thank Chirrut for finally speaking a sentence about the Force that is not “may the Force be with you.” Chirrut, a true believer of the Force despite not being a Jedi, says “The Force is with me, and I am with the Force.” He had some of the most memorable and optimistic moments in “Rogue One,” a great movie with very little joy.

23. Wedge Antilles

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LucasFilm

Wedge Antilles is one of the greatest pilots that served the Rebel Alliance. He bravely abandoned the imperial navy to join the rebellion as a fighter pilot, after the Empire hurt people close to him. There, he flew alongside Luke Skywalker. Wedge quickly gained the respect he deserved from his fellow rebels and Star Wars fans for his loyalty and passion for the cause.

22. Porg

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LucasFilm/Disney

This Porg didn’t do much to fight the First Order, but it was really cute during a very intense battle. It’s also a very forgiving creature: it forgave Chewbacca, who cooked one of its buddies.

21. Cassian Andor

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Lucasfilm/Disney

Cassian Andor is a selfless soldier and skilled rebel spy who knowingly went on the mission to steal the plans for a Death Star, which he definitely knew would be his last mission ever. His time in the franchise was short, but he grew on us quickly.

20. Finn

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Lucasfilm

Finn hasn’t made a huge impact yet, but he’s getting there. He had a great journey in “The Force Awakens,” going from conflicted Stormtrooper to rebel. But while his side story in “The Last Jedi” was fun and emotional (especially when he’s about to sacrifice his life), it didn’t feel like he really got a chance to shine any more than other characters like Poe and Rey.

19. Mon Mothma

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Lucasfilm

Mothma has been in a lot of these movies in a minor role for a reason: her presence is felt. She worked with Bail Organa to form the Rebel Alliance, and has been fighting the Empire for basically her entire life. She’s calm and collected, and the series wouldn’t be the same without her.

18. K-2SO

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Disney/Lucasfilm

K-2SO is the imperial droid programmed to be a rebel. He’s basically like a more confident, slightly mean C-3PO. His wit was really refreshing, especially considering the brutality of “Rogue One.” His sacrifice toward the end of the movie was devastating.

17. C-3PO

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LucasFilm

All C-3PO really does is annoy everyone, but we love him for it. He’s the companion that R2 needs to keep his attitude in check. He’s also a clever narrative device to let the audience know just how sticky of a situation our heroes are getting in, since he lets everyone know the probability of them getting killed all the time.

16. Poe Dameron

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Lucasfilm

Poe, brought to life by the incredibly charming Oscar Isaac, is a great addition to the new trilogy. He doesn’t like to follow the rules, he’s a great pilot, and he will do anything for the Alliance (including betraying them).

15. Bail Organa

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Lucasfilm

Bail Organa is General Leia’s adopted father. He died when the Death Star blew up Alderaan. He was a senator from the planet Alderaan and is one of the founding members of the Rebel Alliance. He’s a cool guy and though his presence is minimal, he makes a lot of impact.

14. Jyn Erso

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Disney/Lucasfilm

Jyn Erso had a complicated past that led her to become a criminal. But she turned that all around when she realized the threat of the Empire and that she had to complete her father’s work to fight it. Jyn held onto the pain of being taken away from her family, but tried to hide it and stay calm like Saw Gerrera, who raised her. All of these emotional layers make her stand out quite a bit compared to other characters in the universe.

13. Admiral Holdo

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LucasFilm/Hodo

Holdo is pitted against the lovable Poe throughout most of her time in “The Last Jedi,” but she becomes a favorite when she makes the ultimate sacrifice to distract the First Order so her people can move to safety. Plus, Laura Dern is amazing and lived up to all expectations.

12. Nien Nunb

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Lucasfilm

Even though he never has much screen time, Nien Nunb made lasting impact on the Star Wars universe. He is a Sullustan rebel who used to be an arms dealer, and he memorably co-pilots the Millennium Falcon with Lando Calrissian during the Battle of Endor.

11. BB-8

Having only been in two movies, BB-8 doesn’t really hold a candle to R2, but the quirky little droid is certainly proving himself. He’s got a best friend in Poe Dameron, and has saved some of the main characters a few times, most notably the shining moment when he saves Finn and Rose in “The Last Jedi.”

10. Chewbacca

Chewbacca can be annoying, and he ate a Porg, but he’s one of the most iconic characters in the universe. He’s a loyal friend to Han, a good soldier, and has saved his friends (including Han) on many occasions.

9. Rey

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LucasFilms

Like Leia, Rey is everything women want to see in a female hero. She’s tough and fierce and true to herself, but she’s also quite stubborn and perhaps a bit too sympathetic toward people like Kylo Ren. But that’s what makes her so great. She’s the hero this new trilogy needed, and her character had even more impact when seeing “The Force Awakens” for the first time, because the marketing led everyone to believe that Finn would be the Force sensitive protagonist.

8. Yoda

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Lucasfilm

Yoda is like an old, clever, green baby. Centuries old, he has seen (and been through) quite a lot. He’s one of the most iconic and recognizable Star Wars characters, but the way he was written in the prequels was a bit disappointing. Thankfully his surprise and quite funny return as a Force Ghost in “The Last Jedi” made up for it.

7. Admiral Ackbar

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Admiral Ackbar.

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Lucasfilm

Admiral Ackbar! What a treasure. Ackbar, a Mon Calamari rebel, fought against the Empire and died fighting the First Order. He was devoted to the cause, and he was instrumental to the fight against the Empire. He also famously shouted, “It’s a trap!” during an ambush in “Return of the Jedi,” which was super helpful to those who didn’t realize that it was, indeed, a trap.

6. Lando Calrissian

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LucasFilm

Of all the characters in the Star Wars universe, Lando Calrissian is probably the one people want to hang out with the most, despite his history of betraying his friends. He’s charming, a bit of a mystery, and has a smooth way with words that we really can’t do justice with a lame metaphor. He was brought to life by Billy Dee Williams, and given a new, exciting return by the great Donald Glover, who was one of the most few redeeming things about the fun but mediocre “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”

5. Obi-Wan Kenobi

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LucasFilm

Oh, sweet Obi-Wan. He is the best part of the prequels thanks to the wonderful Ewan McGregor, who was actually trying to do something good. And he’s a great character who has all of the characteristics of a cliche mentor (patient, wise, loyal) but somehow feels like a truly unique character thanks to not just McGregor, but the first actor who played him: Alec Guinness, who was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for the role.

4. Han Solo

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Lucasfilm

Han Solo is the galaxy’s most bitter heartthrob who also happens to be very stylish (he looks good in a vest). He is anything but optimistic, but that starts to change when he meets Luke and Leia. He has one of the best character arcs throughout the series, along with some the of most memorable one-liners, like saying “I know” after Leia tells him she loves him in “The Empire Strikes Back.”

3. Luke Skywalker

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LucasFilm/Disney

In the original trilogy, Luke Skywalker isn’t really anything special. He’s just an average hero with good morals who has to save the day and loves his friends. But his dark turn in the new trilogy, specifically in “The Last Jedi,” really helped the character make his mark (a Mark Hamill pun) on the saga. Luke loses everything he fought for his entire life, and gives up on the Jedi Order, but leaves room for a new class (Rey) to take over the fight against Kylo Ren and the First Order in a clever way.

2. R2-D2

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LucasFilm

R2 is responsible for saving so many people, and is the reason a lot of things are possible. Through various beeps and dialogue from other characters, we quickly get to intimately know R2 and his snarky take on life, which is fair considering he is always fighting battles in ships across the galaxy. R2 has also had quite the arc over the past few decades, and shutting himself off while Luke is gone was an interesting turn that made a lot of sense and helped us understand his undying loyalty to people.

1. General Leia Organa

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Lucasfilm/Disney

Carrie Fisher’s death affected a lot of people. Fisher was an important figure for generations of women. Fisher put her creative genius and spunk into Leia, who inspired generations of women, too. Leia is the first rebel we’re ever introduced to in the Star Wars universe, and she is the reason Luke and Han get wrapped up in saving the Republic in the first place. She saves her male friends on many occasions; she kills Jabba the Hut, one of the most notorious crime lords in the galaxy; and she has a wit that matches Han Solo’s (to his surprise). She is more than a princess and a general: Leia is an inspiration.